Los Angeles history

Matt Weinstock, April 2, 1960

April 2, 2010 | 4:14
pm

“Fly Hard … Hard… Hard!”

Fowl in Fish Bowl

Next to driving, the big problem for motorists is parking. And since the upsurge of the sports car, life can be fraught with chaos. Take the case of an MG owner who works at a big missile plant in Canoga Park. There is a regular lot for regular-size cars and another for small cars.

Not long ago when he parked in the regular lot he was informed he was supposed to be in the small car lot. Next day he did and was ticketed for parking there without a sticker.

He got the sticker. Incidentally, his car was measured for size to make certain it qualified. But next day the small car lot was full when he arrived, and he parked in the regular lot. He received another notice instructing him to report to Big Brother. He did, explaining the small car lot had been full. He was told sternly that small car lot is never full.

Next day it was full again, so he parked along a fence. He got another ticket. Summoned again to confer with Big Brother, he explained his car didn't obstruct traffic and he thought it would be all right. That, it seemed, was not the point. He should have known he was off limits, because there were no white lines where he had parked.

He now parks in the regular lot and ignores the tickets.

::

IN SPITE OF what you see on television, the day of the pioneer woman has passed.

Two couples went on a camping trip in Riverside County and, after establishing their site for the night, the men took their shooting irons and went gunning for fresh meat. They shot two rabbits and brought them back for the girls to fix for dinner, then went out for more. On their return they were disconcerted to find the girls had carefully plucked all the hair off the bunnies.

::

COMING TO TERMS

In England, feather-bedding in industry is called "employment redundancy." --News item.

If they in England get

enjoyment

From using terms such as

"employment

Redundancy," well, we can't

stop them,

Nor shall we, either, try to

top them.

We only point out that

they're heading

It seems, toward verbal

featherbedding.

--RICHARD ARMOUR

::

ONE DAY recently Leigh Weiner was taking some pictures of his wife in North Hollywood Park when a man came up and asked who he was. Leigh identified himself as a commercial photographer. A few days later he received a bill for $10 from the Recreation and Parks Department. The other day he was notified he would be sued in small claims court unless it was paid. Furious, Leigh is in a mood to take it to the highest court in the land.

Now the rebuttal. Fees, minimum $10, are charged for pictures designed for commercial use taken in public parks. It is the feeling of the park commission that persons using tax-supported facilities for profit should pay for the privilege. Suppose the Hupmobile people want a shot of their 1924 model with the Griffith Park Observatory as background. They pay. Suppose some movie or advertising people want some Fern Dell foliage or beach front scenery for bathing girl pictures. They pay. Incidentally, permission usually can be granted by a phone call. They're billed later.

Of course, there is no charge for amateurs taking family pictures on a picnic or outing, nor if a news magazine wants a layout of an animal at the city zoo or some park activity.

Leigh Weiner says, "But I pay taxes, too, to support these parks- what about that?" See your friendly neighborhood chaplain, I suppose.

::

PUBLIC AT LARGE -- A financial page item stated: "Defense Department has ordered 3482 Ford pickup trucks under a $4,636,245 contract." That's $1,331.46 a piece and Murray Casey wants to know why he can't buy one for that amount. Silly boy . . . Phyllis Millen's paraphrase of ibid's famous line: "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, if the H-bombs don't get you, then taxes must."